{"id":11828,"date":"2023-12-04T17:17:39","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T00:17:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/?p=11828"},"modified":"2023-12-04T17:32:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T00:32:00","slug":"mount-graham-red-squirrel-population-shows-slight-dip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2023\/12\/04\/mount-graham-red-squirrel-population-shows-slight-dip\/","title":{"rendered":"Mount Graham red squirrel numbers dip  \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>NEWS RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dec. 4, 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PHOENIX \u2014 The annual interagency survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel showed a decrease in the latest population estimate in the Pinale\u00f1o Mountains of southeastern Arizona.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, resulted in an estimate of 144 squirrels. This is an increase from the 109 squirrels estimated in 2021, but lower than the 156 squirrels estimated after a new survey method was implemented in 2022.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe saw a big increase last year because of our more thorough survey method, but it doesn\u2019t remove the threats this squirrel still faces, and it will take time for them to recover,\u201d said Holly Hicks, AZGFD\u2019s small mammal project coordinator.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Previous annual red squirrel surveys focused on visiting all known \u201cmiddens,\u201d or areas where red squirrels store their cones. This method did not systematically detect middens created by red squirrels as they moved to new or different areas on the mountain.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new method now involves systematically searching for active middens within survey plots that are designed to capture the majority of red squirrel habitat in the Pinale\u00f1o Mountains. This enables new middens to be detected as they are created, and activity at these middens is then used to estimate the population size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe appreciate the continued support of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Phoenix Zoo, and all of the agency personnel who helped us work together on the census,\u201d said Bonnie Woods, acting Safford District Ranger for the Coronado National Forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marit Alanen, lead biologist for the Mount Graham red squirrel with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said: &#8220;The numbers this year demonstrate that we need to  continue working together to manage the squirrels\u2019 habitat and help the subspecies recover.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The continuing conservation measures for this endangered species and its habitat include the following: assessment of the remaining habitat, insect pheromone treatments to protect trees,&nbsp; conifer seed collection (including storage and planting), forest stand monitoring\/enhancement,&nbsp; reducing food and habitat competitors, captive rearing with partners at the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation, the Phoenix Zoo, continuing life history and translocation\/augmentation research through the University of Arizona, and continuing annual survey monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The subspecies was listed as endangered in 1987. Mount Graham red squirrels live only in the upper-elevation conifer forests of the Pinale\u00f1o Mountains and feed primarily on conifer seeds. The subspecies is highly territorial and has lower reproductive rates than red squirrels in other locations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other long-term impacts to Mount Graham red squirrels and their habitat include insect infestations, competition with non-native Abert\u2019s squirrels, and poor cone crops caused by drought, all of which influence population size.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Mount Graham red squirrel population peaked at about 550 animals in the late 1990s, but typically ranged between 200 and 300 individuals until the 2017 Frye Fire devastated much of their habitat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The annual interagency survey estimates 144 squirrels, lower than the 156 squirrels estimated in 2022.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":7398,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main-site"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Mount Graham red squirrel numbers dip \u00a0 - Arizona Game &amp; 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